


Orange Juice

by frapandfurious



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meetings, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-25
Updated: 2016-06-26
Packaged: 2018-07-18 04:36:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7299850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frapandfurious/pseuds/frapandfurious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben - that was his name, right? - stared at the small cup as if it was full of angry bees. He glanced up at Hux then back down at the cup again.</p><p>"Do you want it or not?"</p><p>It was far too early for this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Hotel breakfasts were always an interesting people-watching experience. This early, that was all Hux felt like doing - watching, not engaging in conversation, as he sipped his coffee.

 

Here, people from all over the world showed up in varying degrees of dress (Hux, of course, was showered and dressed for the day - he wouldn't be caught dead in his pajamas in public) and ate groggily together before parting ways to do whatever it was they came to this city for. It was strangely communal and judgment free. Hux found it interesting to observe how people were in this state: half awake, coexisting with strangers in a place that wasn't home but acted as a sort of temporary one.

 

He was here in Chicago on a trip his college provided, taking students into the city via bus for the weekend and allowing them a few days to explore independently before returning Sunday evening. His friends were at a table in another corner of the room, chatting about their plans for the day. There was a chair open for him if he wanted it, but Hux was barely a people person midday, let alone at eight in the morning.

 

He supposed he was lucky to have found people who understood that.

 

He took another sip of his coffee and sighed, simultaneously appreciating the warmth and missing his Keurig.

 

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed movement by the drinks station of the small breakfast buffet. He turned slightly to see a hotel employee on a stool trying to fix the juice machine. A young man in a black hoodie, black pajama bottoms and black sneakers was waiting and fidgeting impatiently. His hair - also black - was a horrid mess that concealed half his face, but the half Hux could see he recognized as...Ben something, he was pretty sure. A fellow freshman who he had never spoken to but had heard stories about: butting heads with teachers and arguing with other students. He lived alone rather than sharing a room, how he'd managed that as a freshman Hux had no idea, and it looked as though he was on the trip alone too.

 

After several minutes of the employee trying in vain to get the machine to work, Ben gave a frustrated huff, poured a cup of coffee instead, looking as though it might leap out of the cup and bite him, then returned to his high top table.

 

Hux followed him with his eyes then glanced back to the machine. A second employee had appeared and together they seemed to be figuring it out. A moment later, something clicked into place and it was fixed.

 

Hux turned back to the hunched dark figure of his classmate. He didn't seem to notice the machine was fixed, focused on devouring his plate of syrup-drenched French toast while apparently trying to burn a hole in the table with his glare.

 

With a put-upon sigh that was completely unnecessary, no one was _asking_ him to do this, Hux got up, discarded his empty plate, and walked over to the juice dispenser. He poured a cup of orange juice and walked over to set it down on the table.

 

"Here," he mumbled.

 

Ben - that was his name, right? - stared at the small cup as if it was full of angry bees. He glanced up at Hux then back down at the cup again.

 

"Do you want it or not?" It was far too early for this.

 

Ben's hand crept forward and took the cup. His hands were stupidly large, Hux noted. Up close, actually, all of him was - his frame, his nose, his eyes, even his clothing was oversized.

 

"Thanks," a low voice drew him out of his observations. "That's...the nicest thing anyone from school has done for me."

 

Hux frowned. Was he really being mocked for his small act of kindness?

 

"No need to be sarcastic, I was just..."

 

One look at Ben's face and he realized he was being serious. Well then. That was just sad.

 

"....I mean, you're welcome. Enjoy your breakfast."

 

Ben continued staring at him. Hux had nothing else to say so he turned to head back to his seat in the corner only to find it taken by another guest. He quickly looked instead towards the table where his friends sat, as if he meant to go that way all along. Ben’s eyes followed his movements. His gaze landed on the group, on the empty chair reserved for Hux. A place for him.

 

Hux didn't move. He just...wasn't in the mood to be in a group right now. It was quieter over here. He looked at the seat across the table from Ben, then at him.

 

"Can I sit here?"

 

Ben looked confused but nodded. Hux sat and sipped his now lukewarm coffee with a grimace. Ben sipped his juice. They sat in silence for a while. It was strange, but...not terrible.

 

"So," Hux began, "What are your plans for the day?"

 

Ben shrugged.

 

"I was just going to wander around, see what I find."

 

"Sounds..." _Unstructured,_ Hux's mind chimed in, but he kept that to himself. "...fun."

 

"What about you?"

 

Hux looked over at his friends again, then back down at his coffee.

 

"They seem bound and determined to hit all the typical tourist spots. The Navy Pier, Millennium Park and so forth."

 

Ben tilted his head curiously.

 

"What do _you_ want to do?"

 

Hux glared at him.

 

"You'll laugh."

 

"Try me."

 

"....fine. There's an...architecture tour. A boat ride up the river with a guide who points out buildings and discusses their their significance. But they all thought it sounded too _educational,_  and how pathetic would it be If I were to…”

 

"To do something in the city by yourself. That would be pathetic, wouldn't it."

 

_Oops_.

 

Hux looked up at him apologetically. Ben wore a strange expression, a smirk on his face but his eyes sort of sad, but he didn't actually look offended.

 

"Sorry, I didn't mean..."

 

"It's okay. I chose to come here by myself, no one made me. I thought it would be nice to get away for a bit. See somewhere new."

 

He paused, looked as though he was fighting some internal battle over whether or not to say more. Then,

 

"That tour sounds cool. If you're into that sort of thing. If you wanted, um. I mean, if you really wanted to go that badly, it's not like I have any real plans for today, maybe I could..."

 

"You'd go with me?"

 

Hux didn't mean to sound so hopeful. But it was too late to take it back.

 

Ben ducked his head. His hair covered most of his face but Hux could make out the flush on his cheeks.

 

"Yeah. Sure. Why not."

 

"No need to sound so enthused."

 

"Do you want to go or not?!"

 

"...yes. Alright. I'm Hux, by the way. Your name is Ben, right?”

 

The other boy flinched.

 

“Don’t…don’t call me that. Please. I go by Kylo.”

 

“Alright Kylo. Meet me back here in an hour.”

 

Kylo smiled, _actually_ smiled this time.

 

“Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loosely inspired by [this](http://probablyfakeblonde.tumblr.com/post/146363712846/i-know-in-a-lot-kylux-fics-they-always-get) tumblr post.
> 
> Come visit me on [tumblr](http://obsessions-and-dreams.tumblr.com/) !


	2. Chapter 2

Hux enjoyed the tour very much. Kylo enjoyed watching Hux enjoy the tour. Kylo found it mildly interesting, but Hux was completely enthralled by the statistics and stories of the buildings and it showed plainly on his face. Every now and then he’d turn to Kylo and explain something the tour guide said.

 

“Are you studying architecture?” Kylo asked as they walked off the boat and back out to the streets downtown. Hux’s face fell and Kylo immediately regretted saying anything.

 

“No. I mean, I love it. But my father is a surgeon and I’m going to be one too.”

 

“Do you _want_ to be a surgeon?”

 

Hux was silent just a little too long.

 

“You don’t do, do you? Then why are you doing it?”

 

“It’s complicated.”

 

“Doesn’t sound so complicated to me. You want to study architecture, so do that.”

 

“You don’t understand!”

 

Kylo flashed him a fierce look.

  
“You don’t know me. I might understand better than you think.”

 

“Then enlighten me.”

 

“My mother is a city councilwoman and my father is a mechanic. I know, it’s weird. Don’t ask how that happened. Anyway, _both_ of them hoped I would follow in their footsteps. So when I started showing an interest in the arts, they tried to be supportive but I could tell they weren’t happy about it. But it’s _my life_. Shouldn’t I get to choose what I do with it?”

 

“But why take the risk? At least if you go into one of their fields it’s…it’s nearly a sure thing.”

 

Kylo smiled gently and for the first time all day he looked less like a moody teenager and more like a young man.

 

“Hux, nothing is a sure thing. Yeah, I could fail miserably at this. But I could fail miserably at politics or mechanics. You could fail miserably at being a surgeon. Or you could succeed and _be_ miserable. Whatever you do, you have to live with it. They don’t. Don’t you owe it to yourself to do what’s best for you?”

 

Hux stared at him. No one had ever said things like this to him. He’d grown up in a strict family and with friends from strict families, all of whom had their paths clearly carved out for them. Yet here was this man he’d just met, who didn’t look like he could have this sort of wisdom with his sloppy clothes and messy hair, telling him he had a choice. It made him feel uneasy. As if someone had taken a hammer and chisel to the carefully built walls of his world and was tapping away, and a small crack was forming.

 

He was silent for too long again. Kylo began to look worried.

 

“Hux? Sorry I…I didn’t mean to upset you…ignore everything I just said, okay?”

 

“No, it’s fine I just…never thought about it that way.”

 

“Well we don’t have to talk about it anymore. Here, tell me something about….that building.”

 

Kylo didn’t even look, just pointed off ahead and slightly to their left. Hux burst out laughing.

 

“That’s a McDonald’s.”

 

“What? Oh. Oops.” Kylo blushed. Hux was still laughing, already forgetting their earlier conversation.

 

“I can tell you something about _that_ one though…”

 

They walked through the city, Hux talking animatedly about the types of buildings they saw and Kylo occasionally chiming in to point out a sculpture or theater or gallery. Hux was so caught up in the conversation that he was barely paying attention to where they were walking. He began to cross a busy street without looking and didn’t hear Kylo calling for him to stop.

 

Several things happened in quick succession. First he became aware of a car speeding towards him in his peripheral.  Then, before he had time to react, he felt two large hands grab his hips and pull him backwards. His back bumped against a broad chest. The car zoomed by, honking. The hands were still on his hips, squeezing just short of painfully tight. Hux exhaled sharply at the realization of what almost just happened. He turned and looked at Kylo, whose face had paled considerably and who was still holding him. They both spoke at the same time.

 

“Are you okay -”

 

“Thank you -”

 

Hux glanced down at Kylo’s hands. He quickly pulled them away and stepped back.

  
“Sorry,” he mumbled.

 

“No it’s…thank you.”

 

Kylo just nodded. His pallor had been replaced by a light blush.

 

“You sure you’re okay?”

 

“I’m fine,” Hux regained his composure. “Dinner? My treat. For, you know. Saving my life.”

 

Kylo’s blush deepened.

 

“Sure.”

 

*

 

After dinner they walked along the lakeshore and talked and talked. And laughed. Hux couldn’t remember the last time he laughed so much. They also bickered, a lot, but it was without malice and usually led to more laughter. They didn’t return to the hotel until nearly midnight. Hux’s friends had given up texting him around eight. Standing in the hallway at the hotel, Hux realized this was the best day he’d had in a long, long time. He didn’t want it to end.

 

“Thank you,” he said, sincerely, “for going on the tour with me. I had a good time. I hope you did too.”

 

Kylo had his hands stuffed in his pockets, shuffling awkwardly and looking at anything but Hux. His face had become strangely impassive.

 

“Yeah,” he said flatly, “it was cool.”

 

Hux was taken aback by his sudden change in demeanor. He swallowed and looked at the door to his room.

 

“Well…goodnight, then.”

 

Kylo was already starting to walk down the hall towards his own room. Hux felt a strange emptiness growing in his chest. Surely it didn’t have to end like this? He thought that maybe they were becoming friends.

 

“Wait!” he blurted out.

 

Kylo stopped. He looked over his shoulder at Hux. His eyes held that same veiled sadness Hux had seen that morning. It felt like ages ago.

 

“What are your plans for tomorrow?”

 

Kylo shrugged.

  
“I dunno. Explore some more I guess.”

 

“By yourself?”

 

Kylo glared. It was an improvement from looking sad, but not by much.

 

“Of course by myself. Who would I go with?”  
  
“Me, you idiot!”

 

Kylo turned to him fully, now looking bewildered.

 

“You’d want to…?”

 

“I just told you I had a good time today, didn’t I? I thought you did too.”

 

“I did!”

 

“Well then let’s do it again!”

 

“Fine!”

 

Hux walked over to Kylo, reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He added himself as a contact then shoved the phone into his hands.

 

“Text me and I’ll add you too,” he said calmly. Kylo nodded, speechless. Hux grinned and backed towards the door to his room.

 

“I’ll see you at breakfast. Don’t be late.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loosely inspired by [this](http://probablyfakeblonde.tumblr.com/post/146363712846/i-know-in-a-lot-kylux-fics-they-always-get) tumblr post.
> 
> Come visit me on [tumblr](http://obsessions-and-dreams.tumblr.com/) !


End file.
